In a Nutshell

The Fine Print

Promotional value expires Nov 29, 2014.Limit 6 per person for 2-ticket options; limit 2 per person for 6-ticket options. Valid only for option purchased. Redeem day of event for a ticket at venue box office. Must show valid ID matching name on Groupon at Churchill Downs. Refundable only on day of purchase. Must purchase together to sit together. Discount reflects Churchill Downs' current ticket prices-price may differ on day of the event. Doors open at 10:20 a.m. For ADA seating, call box office promptly upon receipt of voucher - availability is limited.Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.

Fall Meets at Churchill Downs

Later this month, the salvo of thundering hooves will fade into the distance at Churchill Downs as the historic track winds down its 25-date fall meet. Events on November 19, 22, and 29 give fans a final chance to stop by, place bets, and marvel at equine athleticism before horses head off to their vacation homes in St. Lucia. Each of those three dates features a minimum of 10 races, and stakes races up the ante on both November 22 and 29. Scheduled off-the-track attractions treat fans to special experiences, including a giant plasma screen broadcasting football games as part of the track’s “Pigskin and Ponies” promotion during the two Saturday events.

Churchill Downs

When 24-year-old draftsmen Joseph Dominic Baldez punctuated the Churchill Downs grandstands with the Twin Spires in 1895, former track President Matt J. Winn summed up the accomplishment. “When you die,” he told Joseph, “there’s one monument that will never be taken down.” The words have certainly rung true, and today, the Spires tower above Churchill Downs as a symbolic reminder of the track’s legacy.

That history, of course, stretches back to even before the Spires. In 1875, Churchill Downs officially opened—nearly a century after horse racing in Kentucky rose to prominence—and soon became known as the home of the Kentucky Derby. Earlier this century, Churchill Downs underwent a $121 million renovation that included the addition of new luxury suites and dining areas. It also increased the track’s seating capacity to approximately 52,000, meaning there’s now plenty of room for horses to invite their family members to their races.